WANA (Dec 24) – Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy has announced the seizure of a vessel carrying four million liters of smuggled fuel in the waters of the Persian Gulf. The operation was carried out as the ship, crewed by 16 non-Iranian nationals, was preparing to leave the territorial waters of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

 

According to Brigadier General Abbas Gholamshahi, commander of the IRGC Navy’s First Naval District, operational units detected the suspicious activity through continuous monitoring and comprehensive intelligence surveillance of maritime traffic in the Persian Gulf.

 

He said intelligence assessments revealed that the vessel had systematically collected more than four million liters of smuggled fuel from smaller boats and was planning to transfer the cargo to larger ships outside the Persian Gulf.

Gholamshahi noted that all 16 crew members were foreign nationals and were in the process of preparing the vessel for departure from Iranian waters at the time of interception. The ship was stopped before leaving the area following a swift and decisive operation by IRGC naval units.

 

Emphasizing the organized nature of the operation, the IRGC naval commander said the vessel was deliberately operating as part of a fuel-smuggling network. He added that the case has been referred to judicial authorities for legal proceedings, while further investigations are underway to identify other individuals and networks linked to the smuggling operation.

 

Gholamshahi concluded by stressing that combating fuel smuggling and safeguarding national resources remain key strategic priorities for the IRGC Navy, warning that any attempt to violate regulations or illegally export fuel from Iran’s territorial waters will be met with firm and deterrent action.